The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems (IHSs), and more particularly to systems and methods for replacing IHSs in a stacked IHS system
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
IHSs such as, for example, switch IHSs, may be “stacked” with one or more other switch IHSs such that the plurality of switch IHSs operate together like a single switch IHS but have a port capacity equal to the sum of the combined switch IHSs. Typically, a switch IHS stack system includes a plurality of switch IHSs coupled together in a ring, with a first switch IHS coupled to a second switch IHS, the second switch IHS coupled to a third switch IHS, and so on up until a last switch IHS is coupled both to the second-to-last switch IHS and to the first switch IHS. Occasionally, one of the switch IHSs in the switch IHS stack system must be replaced (e.g., due to a failure in that switch IHS, and upgrade to a new switch IHS, and/or due to a variety of other replacement scenarios known in the art.) Conventionally, the replacement of a switch IHS in the switch IHS stack system includes disconnecting the “old” switch IHS (i.e., the switch IHS that is being replaced) from the switch IHS stack system, connecting the “new” switch IHS (i.e., the switch IHS that is replacing the old switch IHS) to the switch IHS stack system in place of the old switch IHS (e.g., using the same connection lines used for the old switch IHS in some situations), and configuring stack ports on the new switch IHS that are used to communicate with to the switch IHS stack system so that the new switch IHS may operate with the switch IHS stack system. The configuration of stack ports on a new switch IHS added to an existing switch IHS stack system can raise a number of issues.
For example, conventional methods of configuring stack ports on a new switch IHS that is added to an existing switch IHS stack system include creating a stack port configuration file for the new switch IHS that includes the stack port information, and providing that stack port configuration file to the new switch IHS, or logging into a management console connected to the new switch IHS to configure stack ports manually. Both of these conventional methods require a manual determination of the stack port configuration of the stack ports, along with providing a management connection to the new switch IHS to provide that stack port configuration on the new switch IHS. Because switch IHSs in a switch IHS stack system do not need console or telnet connections during switch IHS stack system operation, these conventional methods require a user to provide a temporary physical connection (e.g., a cable) between the new switch IHS and management console each time a switch IHS in the switch IHS stack system is replaced. The need to manually determine stack port configuration on a new switch IHS being added to a switch IHS stack system, and the need to provide a physical connection to the new switch IHS to provide that configuration (and then remove that physical connection) is time consuming and error prone.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved system and method for replacing a switch IHS in a switch IHS stack system.